Blank Indictment Case

  It should be said that this is indeed a miscarriage of justice, but its impact is wide and its scope is rare.

  Let's first talk about the time when this case occurred. According to the "Criminal Law Chronicle", this case occurred in the 15th year of Hongwu (1382), but according to the records of the parties involved, the actual occurrence time was in the 9th year of Hongwu (1376). This issue has not been confirmed yet, and this article adopts the statement of the 9th year of Hongwu.

  The case originated from the following reason: during the Ming Dynasty, it was stipulated that each locality must send someone to the Ministry of Revenue every year to report on local financial accounts. Local accounts had to be completely consistent with those audited by the Ministry of Revenue before the annual local financial plan could be completed. If they did not match, even if only one digit was different, the account had to be re-filled out, and what made it more difficult was that all re-compiled account books had to be stamped with the original government office's seal to be valid.

  This provision seems easy to implement now, but it was difficult at that time.

  At that time, there were no highways or railways, and each prefecture and county had to send envoys with account books to the capital. The primary condition for these envoys was good physical health, as the journey was very arduous, without cars or trains to ride in, they had to ride horses, take boats, and then ride horses again, and sometimes even engage in mountaineering activities.

  For example, if you are an official in a certain place in Guangxi and want to go to the capital, it will take at least one or two months. Even if you set off on New Year's Day, it will be early spring March when you arrive in the capital. You rush to the Ministry of Revenue with a big sweat, check it out, and find that there is an error in one digit.

  That's it, don't say anything else, brother, you go back on horseback, I'll wait for you.

  Then another mad rush, first riding a horse and then taking a boat, back to alter the account book and stamp it with an official seal. I'm off!

  Four months have passed in a flash, and it's already summer. Rushing to the capital, we meet again.

  Brother, you've finally arrived, I've been waiting for you for a long time, let's go on

  This guy is unlucky. After re-checking, I found that there are still some mistakes. Forget it, let's just go back. Next time you come over, remember to wear more clothes, it's cold here in winter!

  Then rushed back, rushed back, this time matched, but almost to the second year, you also don't go back, spend the Spring Festival here, the plan should be remade again.

  The basic situation is like this, if the boss keeps making trouble, no one can stand it. After analysis, officials found that the key issue lies in the stamping process, because paper and pen are readily available, accounts were wrong to change, but stamps cannot be taken away, you take the stamp away, the official cannot use a carrot to engrave the seal on official documents, right? At that time, privately engraved official seals on the street was not many people dare to do, so they had an idea, bring pre-prepared blank documents with stamped signatures, isn't it okay?

  Thus, bringing empty printing blocks became an unspoken rule at that time, known by everyone in the imperial court except for one person.

  Unfortunately, this person was Zhu Yuanzhang

  In the ninth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly discovered this so-called secret right under his own eyes. Officials dared to do such things!

  He was enraged and thought he had been made a scapegoat, so he dispatched officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

  It's said that as long as an investigation is conducted, this matter isn't difficult to explain. In fact, even the officials sent to investigate are clear about the whole situation, but a strange phenomenon has appeared - everyone knows the reason behind it, yet no one says anything.

  As a result, such a ridiculous scene appeared. The interrogating officer knew it, the answering officer knew it, only Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know.

  This phenomenon is not difficult to explain - officials are afraid

  If you appeal to a higher authority for explanation, it is very likely that you will be considered as an accomplice or covering up, who can bear this black pot.

  At this moment, a brave man stood out. What is admirable is that he was not an official on duty, but just an ordinary citizen. In some sense, he was just one of the common people.